Want to get married in France?

Posted by Olivier Lalin -

Getting Married in France.
If you've been doing your research as a foreign couple wanting to get married in France there are many governmental technicalities that arise, that most people just can't get around, either because of time, efforts or money involved.


The biggest is that at least one of the marrying partners has to be in France for at least 40 days (continuous) before the wedding.
So you cant just hop on a plane and get married the next day or even the next week. Making it impossible to simply elope to France. A marriage here takes planning in advance.

Then the second biggest issue is that in France you have to get married at the City Hall first, then you can have the normal tradition religious wedding ceremony elsewhere afterwards.

And then, you will need to have “ Publications of Banns” at the Town Hall (Mairie).

As the British Embassy, France notes “Most Mairies take approximately 4 –6 weeks to process an application. Requirements will vary for each Mairie, therefore, it is essential that you first meet with them in order to determine their exact documentary requirements and terms of validity (documents may need to be issued less than 3 months prior to date of marriage or publication of banns)”

By this point you might be thinking, “what a drag!” and “we can’t possibly do all of that”
What to Do to Make your Dream Wedding Come True.
Don’t be in despair there are still ways to still have your “wedding” cake and eat it too, in France!

What to Do
I suggest you get a civil marriage done in your home country, which basically eliminates all the obstacles listed above, which is comparatively a less tedious task in most countries. Then you can have the wedding ceremony here in France.

Olivier Lalin Weddings Paris office is based in the heart of Paris with over a decade worth of experience shooting elegant destination weddings the Packages Include:

1. Engagement and Pre-wedding Photography
I’ve been taking pre-weeding portraits as a part of my wedding package for years and it’s certainly a pleasure to be able to do it in the “City of Lights”. Not only is the ambiance romantic but the images capture the pre-nuptial bliss amidst some of the most beautiful backdrop to be found anywhere: La Seine, Tulleries Garden, Eiffel Tower or simply your favorite place here in Paris.
You can view Pre-wedding portraits shots in Paris here





2. Wedding Photography
Having your wedding day taken care of by a wedding planner, especially when you are so far away might be essential. So in addition to the glamorous photo package, we’ll help you fine-tune the details of your wedding day.
You can view Wedding Photography here





For more detailed information on our packages available please contact us:
weddinglight@mac.com

Embassy Information:
US nationals see ...
UK nationals see...



photographe © Olivier Lalin © photographer

Chinese wedding in Paris

More than 30 new couples hold a group wedding in the Tuileries Gardens in downtown Paris on Saturday, when the Paris Shanghai Week opened as part of the Chinese Culture Year that ends this month.
I am getting regular queries about wedding photography in Paris by potential clients contacting me from Hong Kong or mainland china. Always asking for rental of tuxido and wedding gown as well as flowers and Limo ... At first, I thought it was one of those internet scam, AH AH ! Did a bit a research on the matter and realized that Paris was the prime wedding destination for Hong Kong residents.
This sudden fashion seems to be due to "The excellent France-China political relations that have provided profound basis for the prosperous bilateral cultural exchanges, which have, in return, facilitated the all-around development of bilateral ties," This is a quote from now ex president Chirac. The "Chinese Culture Year in France" is a big success as a result of the increasingly closer cultural exchanges between the two nations.
"... Imagine telling the wives of the four England footballers who got married last week about the traditional Chinese practice of renting bridal gowns – and imagine the horror. Renting a venue is one thing, but how can a woman rent a gown for one of the most important days of her life?
Simple. Greater China is mostly non-Christian, and what westerners think of as the wedding gown is only worn for picture taking. According to local celebrity designer Dorian Ho, a traditional Chinese wedding would involve one gown that could be a bridal gown for the ceremony, another for the reception, another for tossing the bouquet, yet another for dancing, and finally one for seeing guests off. In addition, says Carolyn Chow, partner and general manager of Central Weddings and Occasions in Hong Kong: “The average Hong Kongese lives in a small flat and if she buys a wedding dress, there is no room for storage. It is also more important to wear a cheongsam or qi pao. The wedding dress is not important so they don’t see any reason for spending much on it...”
Quotes from www.gluckman.com, Financial Times and The Telegraph



photographe © Olivier Lalin © photographer
view site at weddinglight.com